Lakhimpur killings: District court rejects Ashish Mishra's discharge application, charges to be framed on Tuesday

Tribune News Service

Aditi Tandon

New Delhi, December 5

Stage has been set for the trial of Ashish Mishra and others charged in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence case of October 3, 2021 that had left eight people dead with a local court today dismissing the discharge application filed by the Union minister of state for home Ajay Mishra’s son paving the way for framing of charges.

The District and Sessions Judge Lakshmi Kant Shukla dismissed Ashish Mishra’s discharge application saying there was no merit in the same.

The court will frame charges against the accused on Tuesday.

Speaking to The Tribune, Mohammad Amaan, the advocate representing the families of deceased farmers (four farmers and a journalist had been mowed down in October 3, 2021, by a vehicle owned by Ajay Mishra and occupied by Ashish at the time of the crime), said, “The wait for the trial is finally over.”

Ashish Mishra had in November challenged in the apex court the denial of bail to him by the Allahabad High Court.

The UP government in its affidavit to the SC had urged the court not to grant bail to the accused in the light of the grave offence and given the fact that the case was nearing trial stages.

Ashish was charged with murder and conspiracy, with the trial to start once the charges are framed tomorrow.

The Mahindra Thar in which Ashish was sitting had rammed into farmers protesting against agricultural reform laws.

The FIR in the case was filed on October 4, 2021, an SIT was formed on SC orders on November 17 the same year and charge sheet against 14 accused including Ashish was filed on January 3, 2022.

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